SA Business Travel Under Level 2 Lockdown – Need To Knows

The lockdown measures that were put in place by the South African government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus have been relaxed to Level 2. This means that there are still restrictions in place with regard to movement and gatherings, but there is already a lot more scope to get the economy going.

At TravelManor, we realise everyone is biting at the bit to get back to business as usual, but for the moment there are still certain important things to bear in mind when you travel on behalf of your company. This includes:

Domestic Flights

The borders are still closed, which means international flights are not permitted (unless expressly authorised by the Minister of Transport). However, business and leisure travellers are free to book local flights from Bram Fischer International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, East London Airport, George Airport, Hoedspruit Airport, and Kimberley Airport.

This list also includes King Shaka International Airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Lanseria International Airport, Margate Airport, Mthatha Airport, and OR Tambo International Airport. Phalaborwa Airport, Pietermaritzburg Airport, Port Elizabeth International Airport, Richards Bay Airport, Skukuza Airport, and Upington International Airport are also open for local flights.

Public Transport

At the moment, busses, midibusses, minibus taxi-type services, e-hailing services, meter taxis, shuttle services, chauffeur-driven vehicles and scholar transport vehicles are permitted to carry 100% of their maximum licensed passenger capacity for short-distance travel. As such, it should not be a problem arranging a transfer to and from the airport.

Gatherings

Gatherings of more than 50 people are still not permitted, so while conferences aren’t on the table just yet, in-person meetings are possible once more. All hygienic conditions and physical distancing measures must still be adhered to, to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.

If you are hosting a meeting of a large group of people on-site at your place of business, it is recommended that attendees:

• Are prior to entering the building and/or meeting space to ensure that they don’t have a temperature exceeding 37 degrees Celsius.
• Fill out forms stating that they have no known symptoms of the virus, and have not been in contact with a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 for 14 days.
• Are provided with hand sanitiser or a convenient hand-washing station before entering the premises.
• Wear a cloth mask, face shield or other acceptable face covering for the duration of the meeting.

Keep these guidelines in mind when you make plans for local business trips in the weeks ahead. Check back soon - we’ll be sharing more information on business travel during the lockdown as regulations change and more details become available. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with the TravelManor team for expert advice on planning business journeys in these trying times.